The fifth round of the Sinquefield Cup, the final leg of the Grand Chess Tour, saw a mix of thrilling victories and frustrating missed opportunities. Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, despite having a winning position, was unable to capitalize against American Wesley So, settling for a draw. Meanwhile, World Championship challenger D Gukesh fought hard to secure a draw in his match. The day’s standout performance came from Alireza Firouzja of France, who decisively defeated Anish Giri of Holland with the white pieces. This victory catapulted Firouzja to the top of the leaderboard, making him the sole leader going into the rest day.
With 3.5 points, Firouzja holds a half-point advantage over Wesley So, who escaped with a draw after a fierce endgame defense against Praggnanandhaa, despite being down in material. The next round, scheduled for Sunday, will see So playing white against Firouzja in a highly anticipated clash. Praggnanandhaa, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back after another missed opportunity. He had previously blundered in a winning endgame position against Gukesh in the previous round.
The tournament standings see Wesley So in second place with three points, followed by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Ding Liren of China, Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia and Fabiano Caruana of the United States all sharing the third spot with 2.5 points each. Nodirbek Abdusattorov sits ninth with two points, a half-point ahead of Giri, who currently sits at the bottom of the table.
The fifth round results were as follows:
* R Praggnanandhaa (IND, 2.5) drew with Wesley So (USA, 3)
* Alireza Firouzja (FRA, 3.5) beat Anish Giri (NED, 1.5)
* Ian Nepomniachtchi (FID) drew with Ding Liren (Chn, 2.5)
* Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB, 2) drew with D Gukesh (IND, 2.5)
* Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2.5) drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA, 2.5)
The sixth round promises to be exciting, with the top players vying for the lead. Praggnanandhaa, in particular, will be hoping to regain his form and convert his promising positions into wins. The Sinquefield Cup is proving to be a thrilling spectacle for chess enthusiasts, showcasing the highest levels of skill and strategic depth.
